[LinuxBIOS] Success: GA-M57SLI-S4 dual bios

[ST]

Hi

I am pretty happy that i can report success! Ok, i still don't have any 
Linuxbios running... but yesterday i received the flashchips for the 
GA-M57SLI board. Already programmed with the F8 version of the original bios.
The onboard bios was flashed to the F7 version. I have soldered a PLCC32 
socket to the board and connected a switch to the open pads. I can now switch 
between the F7 and F8 version. I will post the details as time permits. The 
solution is quite neat and i think it is easier than desoldering a PLCC32 
chip. Soldering is of curse still required but no desoldering.

Next stop will be actually flashing linuxbios.

Thanks for all who helped me out!
ST

[Stefan Reinauer]

* ST  [070417 09:55]:
> Hi
>
> I am pretty happy that i can report success! Ok, i still don't have any 
> Linuxbios running... but yesterday i received the flashchips for the 
> GA-M57SLI board. Already programmed with the F8 version of the original bios.
> The onboard bios was flashed to the F7 version. I have soldered a PLCC32 
> socket to the board and connected a switch to the open pads. I can now switch 
> between the F7 and F8 version. I will post the details as time permits. The 
> solution is quite neat and i think it is easier than desoldering a PLCC32 
> chip. Soldering is of curse still required but no desoldering.

Could you write a small Howto describing what and how you did this?

Stefan

[ST]

Hi Stefan
> > I will post the details as time permits.
>
> Could you write a small Howto describing what and how you did this?

As i wrote, yes but not now.

ST

PS: I'm subscribed to the list.

[Beth]

HI ST, :D congratulations, I imagine that you had passed some busy days ;).

I am waiting for the processor & ram for the board and in a few days I
try it too :).

One question, how did you disabled the soldered bios?, ( I think that
something related with the #init pin, but how? )

Well again congratulations, regardsss.

On 4/17/07, ST  wrote:
> Hi
>
> I am pretty happy that i can report success! Ok, i still don't have any
> Linuxbios running... but yesterday i received the flashchips for the
> GA-M57SLI board. Already programmed with the F8 version of the original bios.
> The onboard bios was flashed to the F7 version. I have soldered a PLCC32
> socket to the board and connected a switch to the open pads. I can now switch
> between the F7 and F8 version. I will post the details as time permits. The
> solution is quite neat and i think it is easier than desoldering a PLCC32
> chip. Soldering is of curse still required but no desoldering.
>
> Next stop will be actually flashing linuxbios.
>
> Thanks for all who helped me out!
> ST

[ST]

Hi Beth
> One question, how did you disabled the soldered bios?, ( I think that
> something related with the #init pin, but how? )

I didn't, i just pulled it to ground. But i will post s.t. detailed hopefully 
tomorrow.
> Well again congratulations, regardsss.

:-)
ST

[Peter Stuge]

Hi,

On Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 09:55:03AM +0200, ST wrote:
> I am pretty happy that i can report success!

Cool.
> The solution is quite neat and i think it is easier than
> desoldering a PLCC32 chip. Soldering is of curse still required but
> no desoldering.

My idea was to just desolder the INIT# pin, never the entire chip. If
it works without desoldering anything then that's good news. :)

Could you try also with a resistor, instead of shorting directly to
ground? About 10k. That would be nicer to the chipset output drivers.
(I wanted to desolder the pin completely for that reason too.)

//Peter

[ST]

Hi
> Could you try also with a resistor, instead of shorting directly to
> ground? About 10k. That would be nicer to the chipset output drivers.
> (I wanted to desolder the pin completely for that reason too.)

I'm am only shorting the *input* pin #init to ground which is pulled up by a 
pull-up resistor (which i didn't found). But i will post s.t. detailled with 
images and stuff so anyone with little solder experience can do it herself.

ST

[Peter Stuge]

On Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 02:45:53PM +0200, ST wrote:
> Hi
> > Could you try also with a resistor, instead of shorting directly to
> > ground? About 10k. That would be nicer to the chipset output drivers.
> > (I wanted to desolder the pin completely for that reason too.)
>
> I'm am only shorting the *input* pin #init to ground

Yes, I'm talking about the output driver, in the chipset, that is
connected to INIT#.
> which is pulled up by a pull-up resistor (which i didn't found).

Aha. Did you measure a resistance to Vdd? If the chipset output is
open collector then I'm worried for no reason. :)
> But i will post s.t. detailled with images and stuff so anyone with
> little solder experience can do it herself.

Nice, thanks!

//Peter

[ST]

Hi
> Yes, I'm talking about the output driver, in the chipset, that is
> connected to INIT#.

I am not 100% sure that it's an pullup but quite.

I suspect that INIT# is not connected to the SuperIO since there is also RST 
for the same functionality and since this board looks like a non finished 
DualBios. But of course i'd like to hear if s.o. knows better...

ST

[Peter Stuge]

On Tue, Apr 17, 2007 at 03:29:30PM +0200, ST wrote:
> I am not 100% sure that it's an pullup but quite.

Measure resistance to Vdd with power off and power on, perhaps
something can be learned.
> I suspect that INIT# is not connected to the SuperIO since there is
> also RST for the same functionality

Are they connected together? I got the impression that RST# is the
PCI reset and that INIT# comes from somewhere else. I think you
mentioned that RST was constant while INIT had a changing signal
during boot, but maybe I just remember wrong.
> and since this board looks like a non finished DualBios.

Good point. It may be a hack like a pull-up because it doesn't come
with the full timer switch circuit.
> But of course i'd like to hear if s.o. knows better...

Me too, sorry I can't offer anything but speculation.

//Peter